2003 Honda Pilot Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Honda Pilot. Part of Generation 1 — 2003–2008.

< older2004
Complaints
876
Crashes
56
Fires
16
Injuries
60
Fatalities
1
Recalls
11

Worst 2003 Honda Pilot Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1117 complaints

POWER TRAIN

Avg mileage:132,654 mi
Crash-related:6
Fires:1
#2105 complaints

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Avg mileage:103,592 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:2
#3100 complaints

AIR BAGS

Avg mileage:131,689 mi
Crash-related:11
Fires:1
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Honda Pilot.

POWER TRAIN
117
complaints
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Avg Miles
132,654
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
105
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
103,592
AIR BAGS
100
complaints
Crashes
11
Fires
1
Avg Miles
131,689
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
97
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Avg Miles
140,260
SEATS
32
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
110,036
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
31
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
125,756
ENGINE
25
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
140,959
SUSPENSION
25
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
149,944
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
127,551
STEERING
22
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
125,235
STRUCTURE
19
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
78,445
STRUCTURE:BODY
19
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
160,976
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
18
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
148,097
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
18
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
137,407
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
15
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
117,905
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
117,913
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
1,714
SERVICE BRAKES
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
174,457
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
8
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
36,830
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
7
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
54,481
TIRES
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
63,600
EQUIPMENT
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
94,625
SEAT BELTS
6
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
119,549
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
5
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
40,412
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
101,754
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
201,000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
64,003
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
145,779
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
2,640
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
120,500

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Honda Pilot. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2003 Honda Pilot

11 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~16,650,571 vehicles.

19V501000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~1,657,752 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V499000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~3,947 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

19V182000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~1,101,534 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.

18V268000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~1,335 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord and Pilot, 2010 Accord Crosstour, 2001-2011 Civic, 2002-2011 CR-V, 2003-2004, 2006-2008 and 2011 Element, 2007 and 2009-2013 Fit, 2010-2012 Insight, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2012 Ridgeline vehicles. The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.

16V344000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~1,790,894 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2008 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2008 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2008 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling model year 2002-2004 Odyssey and model year 2003-2004 Acura MDX, Honda Element, and Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

15V370000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~3,498,481 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic vehicles manufactured March 21, 2000, to January 20, 2005, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX vehicles manufactured June 14, 2000, to August 19, 2004, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid vehicles manufactured February 24, 2002, to January 18, 2005, 2003-2007 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured February 21, 2002, to August 28, 2007, 2002-2004 Honda CR-V vehicles, 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey vehicles manufactured June 19, 2001, to July 12, 2003, 2003 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 19, 2002, to June 19, 2003, 2003 Honda Element vehicles manufactured June 25, 2002, to July 31, 2003, and 2003 Honda Pilot vehicles manufactured November 26, 2001, to August 21, 2003. The affected vehicles have a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment.

15V320000AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
~6,281,043 affected

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

14V700000AIR BAGS
~0 affected

American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

14V353000AIR BAGS
~133,207 affected

American Honda Motor Company, Inc.'s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and Element, and model year 2005 Acura RL, and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in California, and equipped with Takata-brand air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

12V573000ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
~807,161 affected

Honda is recalling certain model year 2003 and 2004 Pilot and Odyssey and 2003 through 2006 Acura MDX passenger vehicles manufactured from November 26, 2001, through August 30, 2006. The interlock lever of the ignition switch may deform, which can allow the interlock function of a vehicle with an automatic transmission to be defeated.

+ 1 more recalls

Other Honda Pilot Years

Wider context: See the full Honda Pilot reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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